Week Ending Sept. 23, 2012. Songs: The Song That Is Sweeping The Globe

Chart Watch

Paul GreinSeptember 27, 2012

PSY's novelty smash "Gangnam Style" leaps from #11 to #2 in its third week on the Hot 100. The song sold 301K digital copies, which represents a 60% gain from last week's total of 188K. (And that, in turn, represented a 210% gain over the previous week's total of 61K.) This week's sales tally sets a new one-week record for a novelty song in the digital era.

"Gangnam Style" is an international smash. It jumps from #37 to #3 on this week's Official U.K. Chart. It will probably be #1 in the U.K. next week. The song has already reached #1 in Denmark, Finland, New Zealand and PSY's native South Korea. It's in the top three in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, the Netherlands and Scotland.

Maroon 5's "One More Night" tops the Hot 100 for the second straight week. This equals Phil Collins' different song of the same name, which led the chart for two weeks in March and April 1985. Collins was 34 at the time, a year older than Adam Levine is now.

P!nk's "Blow Me (One Last Kiss)" holds at #5 for the second week. In addition, P!nk has the week's second highest new entry with "Try," which debuts at #56. Both songs are from P!nk's album The Truth About Love, which enters The Billboard 200 at #1 this week. The album sold 280K copies, which constitutes the year's third biggest opening. It trails only Justin Bieber's Believe (374K) and Madonna'sMDNA (359K).

"Good Time" by Owl City & Carly Rae Jepsen rebounds from #9 to #8. This matches its highest ranking to date. Jepsen has a second collabo on this week's chart. "Beautiful," featuring her mentor Justin Bieber, debuts at #87. Both songs are from Jepsen's album Kiss, which enters The Billboard 200 at #6 this week.

Three songs that aren't listed on this week's Hot 100, Taylor Swift's "Begin Again," Rihanna's "Diamonds" and Ke$ha's "Die Young," will probably rank in the top 20 on next week's chart. "Begin Again" will be Swift's next country radio single. Country radio couldn't fully get on board Swift's pop smash "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together," which debuted and peaked at #13 on Hot Country Songs. Swift's new album, Red, is due Oct. 22."Diamonds" is from Rihanna's upcoming seventh studio album. Rihanna kicks off her Diamonds World Tour 2013 on March 8 in Buffalo. "Die Young" is the first single from Ke$ha's second full-length album, Warrior, which is due Dec. 4.

Here's the low-down on this week's top 10 songs.

The Top Five: Maroon 5's "One More Night" holds at #1 for the second week in its 14th week on the chart. This is its sixth week in the top 10. Digital sales rank: #2 (205K)…Psy's "Gangnam Style" leaps from #11 to #2 in its third week on the chart. This is Psy's first top 10 hit. Digital sales rank: #1 (301K)… fun.'s "Some Nights" holds at #3 for the second week in its 31st week on the chart. This is its seventh week in the top 10. Digital sales rank: #4 (159K)…Taylor Swift's "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" drops from #2 to #4 in its seventh week on the chart. This is its sixth week in the top 10. Digital sales rank: #3 (196K)…P!nk's "Blow Me (One Last Kiss)" hold at #5 for the second week its 12th week on the chart. This is its seventh week in the top 10. Digital sales rank: #9 (105K).

The Second Five: Flo Rida's "Whistle" drops from #4 to #6 in its 19th week on the chart. This is its 11th week in the top 10. Digital sales rank: #6 (123K)…"As Long As You Love Me" by Justin Bieber featuring Big Sean dips from #6 (its peak so far) to #7 in its 14th week on the chart. This is its sixth week in the top 10. Digital sales rank: #11 (101K)…"Good Time" by Owl City & Carly Rae Jepsen rebounds from #9 to #8 in its 13th week on the chart. This is its fifth week in the top 10. Digital sales rank: #8 (112K)…Alex Clare's "Too Close" dips from #8 to #9 in its 26th week on the chart. This is its third week in the top 10. Digital sales rank: #5 (131K)…Ellie Goulding's "Lights" drops #7 to #10 in its 40th week on the chart. This is its 14th week in the top 10. Digital sales rank: #34 (47K).

Neon Trees' "Everybody Talks" dips from #10 to #11 in its 28th week on the chart.

Chris Brown's "Don't Wake Me Up" jumps from #21 to #14 in its 13th week. This is Brown's second top 20 hit from his fifth studio album, Fortune. Brown also pulled two top 20 hits from his 2011 album F.A.M.E. This represents a continuing recovery for Brown, who had just one top 20 hit from his 2009 album Graffiti, which was released too soon after his headline-making assault on Rihanna. His 2005 debut album, Chris Brown, spawned four top 20 hits. His 2007 sophomore album, Exclusive, yielded three.

Nicki Minaj's "Pound The Alarm" jumps from #17 to #15 in its ninth week. Pop music has taken us from "Ring My Bell" to "Pound The Alarm." I guess that's progress.

Hunter Hayes' "Wanted" jumps from #22 to #16 in its 22nd week. The song dips to #2 on Hot Country Songs, after reaching #1 last week. Billboard's Wade Jessen notes that Hayes, who turned 21 on Sept. 9, is the youngest male solo artist to reach #1 on the country chart in its 68-year history. The old record was held by Johnny Rodriguez, who was 21 years and six months old in June 1973 when he topped the chart with "You Always Come Back (To Hurting Me)."

There are two songs in the top 20 from the Good Music compilation Cruel Summer, which enters The Billboard 200 at #2 this week. "Mercy" by Kanye West, Big Sean, Pusha T, 2 Chainz rebounds from #20 to #17 in its 25th week. (The song has climbed as high as #13.) "Clique" by West, Jay-Z, Big Sean drops from #12 to #18 in its third week. Digital sales rank: #7 (122K). A third song from the compilation, "To The World," by West, R. Kelly & Teyana, debuts at #70.

Ne-Yo's "Let Me Love You (Until You Learn To Love Yourself)" leaps from #37 to #28 in its eighth week…Miguel's "Adorn" jumps from #35 to #31 in its eighth week. The song holds at #1 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs for the third straight week...The Lumineers' "Ho Hey" jumps from #38 to #32 in its 16th week....Jason Aldean's "Take A Little Ride" dips from #32 to #33 in its 10th week. The song jumps to #1 on Hot Country Songs. It's Aldean's eighth #1 country hit.

Christina Aguilera's "Your Body" is this week's top new entry at #34. Digital sales rank: #10 (102K). It's vying to become Aguilera's 10th top 10 hit; her first on her own since 2008's "Keeps Gettin' Better." It's from Aguilera's album Lotus, which is due Nov. 13. Pretty Ricky had a top 20 hit titled "Your Body" in 2005. And there have been a couple of variations on the title: R. Kelly's "Your Body's Callin'" (#13 in 1994) and John Mayer's "Your Body Is A Wonderland" (#18 in 2003).

"I Can Only Imagine" by David Guetta featuring Chris Brown & Lil Wayne jumps from #55 to #44 in its seventh week…Lee Brice's "Hard To Love" jumps from #49 to #43 in its 15th week.

Mumford & Sons' "I Will Wait" vaults from #73 to #45 in its seventh week. The song has climbed as high as #23. The group's sophomore album, Babel, is a lock to enter The Billboard 200 at #1 next week, with first-week sales in the range of 575K copies. In further Mumford news,"Little Lion Man" tops the 2 million mark in digital sales this week. It's the group's first song to reach this level. "The Cave" has sold 1,533,000 copies.

Luke Bryan's "Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye" jumps from #57 to #47 in its fifth week…Florida Georgia Line's "Cruise" jumps from #59 to #48 in its sixth week…Ed Sheeran's "The A Team" jumps from #61 to #52 in its 11th week…Rascal Flatts' "Come Wake Me Up" jumps from #70 to #59 in its ninth week…Miranda Lambert's "Fastest Girl In Town" jumps from #76 to #64 in its ninth week…Jake Owen's "The One That Got Away" jumps from #77 to #65 in its seventh week…OneRepublic's "Feel Again" jumps from #78 to #67 in its fourth week.

"Don't You Worry Child" by Swedish House Mafia featuring John Martin debuts at #68. It's from the group's second compilation album, Until Now, which is due Oct. 19…"I Don't Like" by Chief Keef featuring Lil Reese debuts at #73. It's from Back From The Dead, which is due March 12.

Kendrick Lamar's "Swimming Pools (Drank)" jumps from #92 to #81 in its sixth week…"Celebration" by Game featuring Chris Brown, Tyga, Wiz Khalifa and Lil Wayne debuts at #82. It's from the rapper's upcoming fifth album, Jesus Piece… "Finally Found You" by Enrique Iglesias featuring Sammy Adams jumps from #94 to #83 in its second week.

Usher's "Numb" debuts at #97. It's from his former #1 album Looking 4 Myself…Kip Moore's "Beer Money" debuts at #99. It's from Up All Night…Greg Bates' "Did It For The Girl" debuts at #100. It's from the country singer's eponymous debut album.

Bruno Mars this week ties Kanye West as the male solo artist with the most 3 million-selling digital hits. Both have amassed seven. Mars achieves the feat with "It Will Rain." Mars' previous songs to top the 3 million mark in digital sales are "Just The Way You Are" (5,324,000), "Grenade" (5,269,000), "The Lazy Song" (3,262,000) and three songs on which he was featured: B.o.B's "Nothin' On You" (3,062,000), Travie McCoy's "Billionaire" (3,272,000) and "Young, Wild & Free" by Snoop Dogg & Wiz Khalifa (3,211,000). Mars' only top 10 hit which has not yet sold 3 million copies is Bad Meets Evil's "Lighters," on which he was featured. And it isn't too far off. The song has sold 2,208,000 copies. (Two female solo artists have tallied seven or more 3 million-sellers. Rihanna leads everybody with nine. Katy Perry, like Mars and West, has had seven.)

"SexyBack" by Justin Timberlake featuring Timbaland tops the 4 million mark in digital sales this week. It's Timberlake's biggest hit; Timbaland's second biggest, following "Apologize" (featuring One Republic, 5,456,000). "SexyBack" was a game-changer for Timberlake, who has said that, with this song, fans stopped asking him when *NSYNC was going to get back together and starting asking when his next album was coming out.

"SexyBack" also prompted one of the wittiest lines in the history of the Grammy Awards, when Stephen Colbert quipped, "Justin Timberlake brought 'sexy' back. Susan Boyle sent it away again."